Trent Bridge

Notts Under The Weather But Extend Unbeaten Start

Match Report | 22nd April 2012

Outplayed throughout the first three days, Nottinghamshire showed enough fight to preserve their unbeaten start to the season as their LV= County Championship match against Somerset ground to a draw at Trent Bridge.

After a number of stoppages, and with Notts on 169-4, the players shook hands at 5.10pm.

Director of cricket Mick Newell feels that his players must learn lessons from a below-par display.

“That was a disappointing four days, there’s no getting away from that. It was a very average performance over the four days,” said Mick.

“We need to improve quickly. We denied Somerset a win, that’s about all we can take from it.”

Newell, again, felt the toss was crucial. “There’s no doubt whoever won the toss on Thursday was going to bowl and it was always going to be difficult but we made some pretty basic batting mistakes. We got away with it in the end, largely because of the weather

“I don’t think I’ve ever gone in to the last day of a match before without having picked up any bonus points at all, so it was a relief to end up with three points for the draw.”

A heavy shower delayed the start by twenty minutes but Alex Hales and Neil Edwards walked out in bright sunshine to find George Dockrell preparing to bowl the opening over.

As well as the absent Marcus Trescothick (ankle), Somerset took then field without strike bowler Steve Kirby, who had a reported hamstring twinge.

Dockrell was deployed for just one over, allowing Peter Trego to switch ends and the man who took 5-53 in the first innings soon built upon his success, getting Edwards (26) for the second time in the match, this time to a catch at the wicket.

The opening stand had been worth 58 but the next wicket went down with only four more runs added. Hales (29), chasing Meschede outside his off stump, nicked to Hildreth at first slip.

Both Michael Lumb and Samit Patel got off the mark before the session was interrupted by another shower.

An half-hour stoppage enabled both sides to re-group but it was Somerset who struck another blow upon the resumption, as Patel (11) fell lbw, giving Trego his seventh wicket of the match.

Lunch was taken at 99-3, still 183 runs adrift. More showers meant that only eight minutes of play was possible during the afternoon session, with only a further run added.

After an early tea had been taken Notts lost Lumb (23), who was bowled, driving at Dockrell and being beaten by the turn.

James Taylor (38 not out) and Chris Read (33 not out) combined in a steadying stand of 60, enough to ensure that the game would end in a draw.

Despite failing to pick up a single bonus point from the contest, the three draw points keep Nottinghamshire in the thick of things at the top of the table as they prepare to face Worcestershire at New Road on Thursday.